And amalgamating ores



(N0 Model.)

J. MANE S. V MAGHINE FOR PULVERIZING AND AMALGAMATING DRESS No. 245,848. Patented Aug. 16,1881..

' WITNESSES INVENTOR: I gal/MW ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS PhatmLilhognphur, wnmngtun. D. c.

UNITE TATES PATENT @rrrcno JAMES MANES, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

MACHINE FOR PULVERIZING AND AMALGAMATING ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,848, dated August 16, 1881,

I Application filed February 5,1881. (No model.)

To all whom't't may concern Be it known that I, JAMES M'ANES, of Bat timore, State of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Pulverizing and Amalgamating Ores; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a view of one of the ends of the case. Fig. 3 is a View of the other end of the case.

My invention relates to a novel machine for the purpose of extracting gold and silver from their ores or from tailings; and it consists, mainly, in a series of metal cylinders placed horizontally and made coue-sl1aped or tapering, so as to be larger at one end than at the other, the said cylinders being provided at their large ends with detachable heads, and being arranged with the large end ofone above the small end of the other, and the cylinders bein gconnected by spouts arranged alternately at opposite ends, so that the ore travels by gravity down to the larger end of the cylinder and enters the smaller end of the next subjacent cylinder, and in each of which cylinders is arranged a rotary shaft bearing mullers, brushes, or other devices for pulverizing, stirring, and mixing the ore with mercury or other chemical as it passes through the machine.

The invention also consists in combining the cylinders, brushes, and an outer casing with a steam-heating device for regulating the temperature according to the requirements of the case, as hereinafter fully described.

In the drawings, Arepresents an outer casing mounted upon supports B B, within which are arranged three (more or less) tapering or cone-shaped cylinders, G C U", the cylinders being arranged in vertical series, and the large end of one communicating with the small and of the next lower cylinder through spouts a; a. Inside these cylinders, and arranged in hearings in the case, are horizontal shafts D I) D which are geared together outside the case by cog-wheels E E E at each end for joint revolution. On these shafts are mounted devices for pulverizing the ore and mixing and stirring the same with the mercury or other chemical and agglomerating the particles of metal. For this purpose I propose to use in the top cylinder a set of mullers composed of radial arms I), and connected at their ends by rubbing-bars c, which arms increase in length as thediameter of the cylinder increases, and which bars 0 serve to pulverize the ore against the sides of the cylinder.

Upon the shafts of the lower cylinders are fixed brushes B composed each of an elongated hub studded on its periphery with brushes composed of wire or whalebone, which brushes also correspond to the increase in the diameter of the cylinders near theirlargerends, and serve to thoroughly mix the mercury or other chemical with the ore.

.lo permit the removal of the mullers or brushes, or both, and allow other forms to be put in their places, the larger end of each cylinder is provided with a detachable head, F, fastened by bolts upon the outer side of the case A, and which may be readily removed to allow the shafts, with their grinding or mixing devices, to he slipped out longitudinally, the keys or holding-screws of the gear-wheels on the outside of the case being first loosened to permit this change.

Upon thetop of the case, at one end, is located a hopper, H, through which the partially-pulverized ore or tailin gs is fed to the top cylinder from the spout f, while a currentof water is simultaneouslyintroduced through a pipe and stopcock, 9. Upon the other end of the easin g is mounted a hopper or receiver, Gr, into which mercury is discharged, and from which it passes through a valve, 6, into a pipe,j, communicating with the outlet to the ore-hopper, and from which point it passes in contact with the ore through the cylinder to be combined with the metals.

R is a feed-roller, located in the bottom of the ore-hopper, to prevent clogging and secure a uniform feed of the ore to the cylinders.

As the ore passes into the machine it will be seen that it is first reduced to afine degree of pulverization by the mullers, and, moving down the incline of the bottom of the cylinder, passes with the water and mercury into the small end of the next cylinder, where the brushes intimately mix the mercury with the ore and facilitate amalgamation, after which it enters the small end of the lowest cylingar w I ize the mullers or the cylinders for the same glomerate or collect in lumps such metals as devices of varying radius, and gear-wheels co nand, after being subjected to the action of the brushes, passes out at the spout 70 at the large end of the lowest cylinder.

For hastening the action of amalgamation I arrange in the lower part of the case A a steamspace, 01, into which steam is admitted through the pipe m, and by which a warm body of air is made to fill the space inside of the case A between the cylinders. In constructing the cylinders they are to be made preferably of cast-iron about one-half of an inch in thickness and chilled, so as to resist wear.

I do not confine myself to the use of mercury in connection with the apparatus thus described, as it may be found useful in incorporating other chemicals with the ore. Sometimes in the place of the mullers or one of the brushes I introduce a set of magnets to agare affected by electricity, or I may use for this purpose'a current of electricity to magnetpurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is-- 1. An ore pulverizer, mixer, or amalgamator consisting of a series of horizontal taperin g cylinders arranged in vertical series, with the larger end of one cylinder communicating with the smaller end of the next lower one, in combination with a corresponding series of parallel shafts bearing grinding and mixing necting said shafts, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of a set of horizontal and tapering cylinders communicating with each other through spouts, as described, a set of revolving shafts arranged in said cylinders and carrying grinding and mixing devices of varying radius, and a set of detachable heads, I, closing in the larger ends of the cylinders, as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of a setof horizontal and tapering cylinders communicating with each other through spouts, as described, a set of revolving shafts arranged within the cylinder and bearing grinding and mixing devices of varying radius, an encompassing-case for said cylinder, and a set of detachable heads bolted or fastened to the outside of the case and closing in the larger ends of the cylinders, as and for the purpose described.

at. In an ore pulverizer and amalgamator, the combination of the tapered cylinders O O 0 their concentric and parallel shafts D D D with grinding and mixing devices, the containing-case A, and the steam-heating box 61, arranged within the case to heat the air around the cylinders, asshown and described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 2d day of April, 1880.

JAMES MANES.

\Vitnesscs:

SoLoN G. KEMoN, EDWD. W. BYRN. 

